The latest information from the Bahamas the place two younger U.S. ladies from a Carnival ship have been drugged and raped concerned a foreseeable, horrific crime at a Bahamian resort promoted by the cruise line, in response to the victims. Earlier this week, the 2 younger ladies, who’re from the state of Kentucky, sailed on the Carnival Elation from Jacksonville to Freeport within the Bahamas and went to a resort promoted by Carnival (Pirate’s Cove Resort) after paying the cruise line shore excursion fee of $56.99. Carnival claims that the tour was an independent shore excursion though it seems clear that Carnival promoted this explicit resort to its passengers and characterised it as a “picturesque” seashore with “skilled, hospitable and cordial employees (who) will guarantee you’ve got a memorial go to.” Earlier than they have been capable of return to the cruise ship, two males believed to be workers of the Bahamian resort reportedly drugged and raped them.
Above: a portion of Carnival Cruise Line’s promotional info promoting excursions to Pirate’s Cove earlier than the cruise line scrubbed it from its web site.
Cruise passengers Dongayla Dobson and Amber Shearer, who’ve used their actual names in media interviews, are each 31 years of age. They report being served alcohol by uniformed employees members on the Pirate’s Cove beach resort throughout an tour advisable and offered by Carnival Cruise Line (Carnival’s promotional info for the tour has been scrubbed from Carnival’s web site). Their drinks have been reportedly spiked with medication, later decided to incorporate opiates and benzodiazepines. Safety footage from the resort reportedly reveals that shortly after receiving the drinks, the ladies have been barely capable of stand as they have been led away to a toilet by the 2 resort workers and each raped by the 2 males. (In an interview with the Nassau Guardian, the resort claims that the surveillance footage doesn’t help their claims however supplies no rationalization for the alleged discrepancy). The Bahamian press has not named the 2 suspects, reporting solely {that a} “54-year-old man from Eight Mile Rock and a 40-year-old male from South Bahamia” have been arrested.
Ms. Dobson and Ms. Shearer each are actually taking anti-retoviral HIV remedy, after they have been examined and handled on the Carnival cruise ship. The ladies advised a media outlet in Kentucky that they’ve “bruises up and down” their legs that are confirmed by pictures taken after the rapes.
Each ladies complained that the Royal Bahamian Law enforcement officials allegedly “handled them like criminals” and “refused to provide them rape kits.”
Carnival, Pirates Cove and the Royal Bahamas Police Pressure Push Again
It seems that the cruise line, tour resort and native police are all disputing among the information surrounding the crime. Carnival disputes that this crime occurred throughout a cruise-sponsored tour (though the cruise line faces the identical authorized publicity for not warning its visitors of the heightened hazard of rape within the Bahamas no matter whether or not the tour was sponsored or a non-public enterprise). Pirate’s Cove claims that the ladies “refused to be transported to the hospital” and the native police have been quoted within the Bahamian press stating that the ladies allegedly declined emergency medical therapy. Nonetheless, the ladies knowledgeable U.S. media retailers that they have been knowledgeable that in the event that they went to the native hospital, their return to the cruise ship wouldn’t be assured they usually have been each involved that they weren’t touring with passports. The medical staff on the Carnival cruise ship ultimately examined the 2 victims and carried out testing which revealed the presence of medication and the absence of alcohol within the ladies.
The truth that the cruise line, tour vendor and police are attempting to boost doubts about these horrific crimes is in step with Bahamian governmental officers who’ve labored additional time to guard the Bahamas’s popularity and picture as a carefree, fulfilling and secure vacationer vacation spot. The Bahamas started to push again towards U.S. journey warnings as quickly as they have been issued. Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis responded to the crime advisories about journey to his nation, stressing that the federal government “is alert, attentive and proactive to make sure that The Bahamas stays a secure and welcoming vacation spot.”
Crime Advisories for the Bahamas
Shortly earlier than the ladies’s cruise, the U.S. Division of State issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas as a result of a rise in violent crime, particularly recommending elevated warning on the islands of New Windfall and Grand Bahama. The warning talked about not solely violent crime like burglaries and armed robberies, however “sexual assaults in each vacationer and non-tourist areas” as properly. Earlier than the State Division warning, america Embassy within the Bahamas issued a “security alert” on January twenty fourth. It urged vacationers to “train excessive warning” in Nassau within the wake of 18 murders within the metropolis since January 1st.
Neither lady state that they have been conscious of the U.S. crime warnings for the Bahamas and they didn’t obtain any warnings from Carnival earlier than or throughout their arrival within the Bahamas.
Cruise Strains Have A Authorized Responsibility to Warn Passengers of Risks in Ports of Name
Cruise strains, or course, have a authorized responsibility to warn passengers of risks which exist not solely on their ships however in ports during which they name on.
Did Carnival Warn Its Company of the Heightened Danger of Sexual Assault and Different Violent Crime within the Bahamas?
Through the years, we’ve got seen some cruise strains challenge warnings to passengers about crime in some ports of name. Royal Caribbean, for instance, issued letters to passengers several years ago warning in regards to the hazard of crime in Nassau. However many cruise strains, like Carnival, don’t challenge warnings but proceed to advertise shore tour, for monetary causes, into harmful ports of name.
As we are going to talk about in our subsequent weblog, cruise strains have an absolute responsibility to warn its passengers of crime risks within the ports of name the place they go to. That is true whether or not the cruise visitors are on an tour promoted and offered by the cruise line or an independant tour unrelated to the cruise line. Carlisle v. Ulysses Line Ltd., S.A.,475 So. second 248, 251 (Fla. third DCA 1985), Chaparro v. Carnival, 693 F.3d 1333 (eleventh Cir. 2012).
The Most Harmful Cruise Vacation spot within the World?
Ten years in the past, we printed “Ten Most Dangerous Cruise Destinations in the World.” We selected the Bahamas because the primary most harmful cruise vacation spot due to armed robberies and quite a few sexual assaults towards cruise vacationers in Nassau and Freeport. The Bahamas has been topic to a criminal offense (degree 2) advisory for years. There have been plenty of crime warnings issued by the united statesEmbassy of the hazard of sexual assault at native seashore resorts.
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Picture Credit score: Images from the Carnival Elation – Dongayla Dobson Fb by way of Daily Mail; victims – interview with Dongayla Dobson and Amber Shearer.; Carnival Elation – Jersyko, CC BY-SA 3.0 commons / wikimedia.
